


The Knight After (One Shots) Part of the Knight at the Bar story

by Hypno_B1986



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: AU, Abagail - Freeform, Abagail/Brutis - Freeform, Brutis - Freeform, C-Sec (Mass Effect), Developing Relationship, Don't copy to another site, Everyday Life, F/M, Fluff, Human/Turian relationship, Humor, Mass Effect AU, Mass Effect Trilogy-Freeform, Mass Effect- freeform, No major characters, OCs-Freeform, One Shot, Original Characters-Freeform, Original Male Turian/Original Female Human - Freeform, Romance, Sequel to Knight at the Bar, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27090352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hypno_B1986/pseuds/Hypno_B1986
Summary: A series of one shots that take place after the events of Knight at the Bar, so if you have not read that story yet events in these one shots might be a bit confusing or hard to follow.
Relationships: Abagail/Brutis
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Abagail and Brutis are back in a series of one shots that will have random updates.

Please stay tuned for future postings to the one shot series. I am excited to be posting soon!


	2. Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally Brutis and Abagail tie the knot but not in the traditional way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! wedding bells finally. I hope you all enjoy these ones shots. They will be sporadically posted. I will try and make them only a few pages a piece. 
> 
> This one is going to be short and sweet, I took some artistic license with the ceremony. I wanted to make it special for them so if that is not totally accurate I did my best. As always thanks for stopping by and giving this chapter a read, if you have just found this while browsing please take a moment and read A Knight At the Bar or nothing is going to make sense, and if you are here after reading that story then welcome back!

It has been some months, they had went slow like they promised and sure as things went they rekindled the love that had withered between them. I had been touch and go for a while the “dates” were far between at first, and when they were on them it was like they treated one another like strangers. It took some weeks to “warm” back up. But once they allowed themselves to open back up it was like they had never been apart. 

Brutis took her to every garden on the Citadel, took her to all the cultural places and museums. He spent time with Tami and her kids—made up for being a bad uncle… he got his life straightened out his work had vastly Improved he was in a relatively quiet district and his paperwork was less intense. So to say he was surprised when Abby brought the question up to him while they were sharing dinner that evening he almost choked. 

“So Brutis what do you think about marriage—“ 

“B—between us again?” he had catch himself he didn’t want to sound too eager if that was not the same vibe she was giving off. He wanted to be married to be desperately—but with what happened and how things had turned out the first time he was a bit gun shy he hated to admit it. But the events prior to all that had left a bad taste in his mouth to the whole marriage thing. 

“Yes—I know its spur of the moment but I wanted to get your opinion on it…” he could sense the trepidation in her tone. 

“If it’s on the table—and were allowed to be brutally honest?” 

“Oh no this can’t be good.” She gave a shaky smile. Was he really that turned off to it? Maybe all of the garbage that had surrounded their wedding had left a bad taste in his mouth. It had given her anxiety for the event, the first thing she had done after breaking up with Brutis was get rid of all her wedding items she had been collecting, cutlery, table linens, decorations, the dress… that damn thing should have been burned but she had managed to see it for a nice sum to a desperate bride. In Abby’s opinion the woman got it for steal and hoped the dress wasn’t cursed or something. It seemed her whole life unraveled the second she accepted it. 

“I don’t mean anything by it—I just I don’t think I would be comfortable with a large ceremony or anything public.” He looked her in the eye to see a genuine smile cross her face. 

“Funny I was thinking the same thing… I kind of just want it to be spur of the moment and under the radar. We could always toss a party after the fact and invite our friends from work and home—“

“I know this districts court house is open later than most…”

Her smile widened at that. “Would that be something you are interested in?”

“I wanted to marry you before—I don’t think when or how we do that should matter… do you want to be with me forever?”

“I do.” 

“Then let’s go do it.” 

“Is it still considered spur of the moment then—should we wait a day or two?” she laughed as Brutis put his fork down and got up from his table. He had invited Abby over for a home cooked meal. She had only been over to his new place a few times. He still had yet to see her new place.

“I’m not dressed properly…”

“You are beautiful no matter what you wear Abagail… and why not be comfortable? We have known each other for a while.”

“Alright!” she felt her heart pounding in her chest. “Let’s get this done!”

“I have the rings—“

“Do we need to call the courthouse?” 

“I'll do it on the way, I guess we need an appointment for this sort of thing?”

“Better find out.”

They scrambled around the apartment for a moment gathering up their things and making themselves a bit more presentable. Abby sent Tami and Rokia a quick message as they climbed into Brutis’s car and headed towards the court house. They were all giggles and the excitement that bubbled around them was thick in the air. 

Girl are you kidding me? She got a message from Rokia as they pulled up to the building. Talk about out of the blue! I am rooting for you girl we need to hang out with Tami after you tie the knot! She looked up to Brutis all smiles as she listened to him talk to the woman at the court house it seemed they had an opening that day. She was telling Brutis what they needed. 

Yes of course I would love that! She typed back quickly as she rushed in after Brutis who seemed to be taking the steps two or three at a time. It seemed he was more eager than her. This was the happiest she had seen him in a long time. His grin was contagious and so was hers as they walked inside winded and catching her breath. It seemed they had some time to kill before they were allowed to be married. They walked up to the counter and produced the documentation they needed. 

This was really going to happen! It was more exciting with the spur of the moment decision, no fancy wedding dresses, no pomp and circumstance it was all a rush of adrenaline and delight. 

“You will need a witness.” The woman looked up checking their forms and looking at their ID’s on their Omni screens. 

“Oh—I wonder if I can get a hold of Tami.” Abby pulled up her messages and typed a quick message. 

It didn’t take her long to respond and Abby informed Brutis things were taken care of. 

“Great I knew Octamia would come through.” 

“Our parents are going to freak when they find out were actually do this again.” 

“I never told my parents about what happened—I was sure that she would have set another one of her mate prospects to me again and start her meddling anew.” 

“My parents have practically disowned me so—it’s not like they know anything that is going on.” 

“True—I think we both cemented the title for “worst child”.” He snorted shaking his head, arms folded across his chest he looked uncomfortable in the small waiting area. The chairs were not comfortable and this sort of setting was practically surreal given the fact they were waiting on Tami to get married here. She wondered if the room they were going to go into was filled with filing cabinets and discarded office furniture or something. 

But really milling over the fact that she was getting married to the man of her dreams—even with the rough patches she didn’t care if they got married in a back alleyway just as long as it meant that she was legally married to Brutis… 

It seemed like seconds passed and Tami was walking up the steps into the court house all smiles as she rushed to Brutis and Abby. “Finally! I never gave up on you two!” she was practically hopping in place and she made sure to crush each friend in her signature hug. 

“Are you two ready?” a man popped his head around the corner, the human looked to be in his mid-thirties. He was dressed in slacks and a white button up shirt hair short and neat as he smiled waving them through the door and down a small hallway to a room. It was set up almost like a small chapel to Abby shock. It was four chairs set up to mimic the seats for family and Tami took a seat as they were taken to a small arch that was decorated with some artificial flowers and a small podium where the man, no Jason had introduced himself on the walk down the hall asking them a few brief questions mainly names. 

They were instructed to stand opposite one another as generic vows were spoken and repeated Abby was still nervous as the small ceremony went its course and they were brought to the moment where they were to exchange rings. Like Brutis had done Abby was reluctant to get rid of the wedding band she had purchased special for Brutis, it wasn’t traditional by any means but she had given it to him when they started to become serious again. He had been floored by it. Loved it and had worn it on the chain that her rings had sat. He wasn’t allowed to have loose jewelry on at work so they spent most of their time tucked inside his shirts or on the nightstand. It was on the first things he did when he returned home to his apartment was to pull the chain out from behind his clothing. Now it was going to be official. He was going to be able to wear it around his finger—

“Abagail. You may now put the ring on Brutis’s finger.” Jason instructed. She did as he said taking Brutis’s large hand in her small ones and gently placed the ring on his finger. She then repeated a phrase he had uttered while she worked, it seemed she was on autopilot not really hearing what he was saying but able to repeat. Right now it was only her and Brutis in the room… her gaze captured by the one man who was meant for her.   
“Brutis you may now put the ring on Abagail’s finger.” Brutis never broke eye contact as he scooped up her hand in his and placed the ring on her finger, that goofy smile captivating her as she spied the color raise in his neck, he was blushing… she wanted to giggle but refrained. 

“I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Garinis. You may now kiss your Bride.” Jason smiled clapping as Tami jumped up from her chair and clapped for them. 

Brutis snatched Abby up literally sweeping her off her feet and bopped her forehead with his laughing as she grabbed on to his cowl for stability they held like that for a moment and then she started to pepper kisses on his forehead. 

“I love you Abby.” He choked up. 

“I love you Brutis.” Abby felt her own eyes tear up as she hugged him tight.


	3. Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abagail attempts to teach her friend and Brutis about the human holiday and share some of her culture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who doesn't like a nice Halloween One shot? Feel free to leave a comment or kudos if you like these little one shots, or if you are interested in seeing a certain topic or prompt you can always leave a comment and make a suggestion (Please keep it SFW). I hope to hear from you and have fun reading! :) 
> 
> I Hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween! 
> 
> (I apologize for any oopsies with spelling and grammar)

It was Abby’s favorite time of the year, and since this was their first Halloween married Abagail wanted to make it special. She had spent the last two nights up late, long after Brutis has gone to bed looking for items to make this human holiday special. Eager to share human culture with Brutis she had gone a bit overboard…

It was Brutis’s day off one of the rare occasions where he had some time off and he drank his morning coffee and headed towards the door. He had been vegging out on the couch enjoying the slow pace of the morning when he heard someone at the door. 

“That better not be Ash dragging my ass back to work.” He rumbled his partner would be smart leaving him alone while on leave. Ash wasn’t a bad partner it’s just that Brutis valued his time off…

Opening the door he was greeted by a sheepish Salarian carrier who was gawking up at him like he was some sort of monster. 

“G—good morning sir, I have some packages to drop off.” 

“Packages? I didn’t order anything.” 

“I have the right address—Abagail Garinis.”

“Abby—“ He sighed. “Yes you have the right address—how many boxes?” his rumbling dual tone giving away his slight annoyance. 

“About ten.” 

“Ten!” 

“Sorry sir—if you will take this data pad and sign here I will unload them quickly.”

“Sure yeah.” He reached out for the data pad and set his coffee down on the hallway table mandibles twitching he scanned the sheet he was signing not recognizing anything of the stores and shops named there. he scribbled his name and looked up to see him pushing a hover cart up the path loaded to the brim with packages… he was going to send Abby a message so she could catch it on her break or sooner given she was working in records Octamia had put in a good word for her and gotten her a job. Her art was still a side job. 

He packages were quickly off loaded thanks to Brutis and he sent the carrier on his way. 

“Thank you sir!” he called over his shoulders as Brutis arms laden walked back inside scooting a few boxes with his feet. Curiosity was getting the better of him but he wasn’t going to open a thing. They weren’t in his name. He shut the door behind him and placed the boxes on the dining room table making a neat pile as he went back for his coffee and opened a message to his wife. 

Some boxes came for you today--- a lot of boxes. 

He gave a smirk and snort as he walked back to the couch, coffee in hand and went back to watch the morning news feed settling in for a few more moments before going into his exercise routine. 

Abagail grabbed her lunch and went to find Octamia finding her at her usual spot while she was feverishly typing on a report. It would be a far commute if she had moved in with Brutis but they had decided after getting married and combining their incomes they could afford a nicer apartment in between both places of work. Abagail took mass transit most of the time but they did take turns with the car. Today she had taken the bus. 

“Tami you ready for lunch?” 

“Yes let me finish up this message and send it along, so how has work been today?”

“Oddly busy for a record room.” She smiled and looked down at her omni it was standard practice not to see if she had any messages from Brutis at lunch. They would message back and forth briefly and check in with one another. She glanced at her new message and frowned. “Shoot I was hoping to be home when those arrived.” 

“What arrived?” Tami looked up finishing her message and sending it. “Are you doing that human holiday—what is it Christmas?”

“I need to start but no this is for another human holiday. Brutis said he wanted to know more about human holidays since he is teaching me about Turian ones…”

“What holiday is it?” 

“Halloween.” 

“Howl a wheen?” Tami blinked at her completely lost her mandibles dropped a bit as she wracked her brain trying to understand what Abby was talking about. 

“Halloween.” She tried again but Tami shook her head. 

“Don’t waste your time Abby I am never going to get it… so what does this holiday entail?” 

“Uh it is hard to explain… kids dress up like monsters or princesses and whatnot and go door to door asking for candy…well the houses with a porch light on or that decorate, you know carved pumpkins and plastic ghosts…”

“Your children go door to door begging for candy? They go to total strangers homes? What is a pumpkin?” 

“Uh well it’s a universal human holiday—well not entirely, not everyone celebrates it. Pumpkins are gourds, it’s a fruit you scoop out the seeds and carve a face into it. Adults can dress up too and go to Costume Parties or Horror Movie parties and watch scary movies and hang out—“

“You lost me…” 

“Yeah—“ 

“Humans have a rich culture collectively and this little holiday I think needs to be researched so I can understand it better.” 

“I don’t know how to convey the feelings and what it is at least what it is to me without showing you—so that’s why I wanted to invite you to the apartment to participate in Halloween.”

“Well the kids are off visiting Veter’s side of the family and he is gone on assignment again so why not. When is this holiday?”

“In in a few days—I was actually surprised I found what I did.”

“Should I cook something? Is food apart of this holiday too?”

“Yes, it’s safe to assume any human holiday will have a great deal of food to go along with it.” 

“Alright tell Brutis I will make something, so he doesn’t go overboard.” 

“Let’s head to the break room and get some lunch, Tami do you have a favorite scary vid?”

“Uh—I have one I think—is this part of the holiday too?” 

“Yeah scary movies are always fun to watch.” 

Tami nodded and grabbed her lunch from the desk and followed Abby to the breakroom—Howl-o-wheen seemed interesting… 

When she got home that night Brutis was already cooking dinner the smells that wafted through the apartment were intoxicating. “Man that smells amazing.” 

“Hey Babe, you got my message right?”

“Oh shoot I was talking to Tami at lunch and didn’t get a chance to respond. I will explain after dinner… it’s a human holiday thing.” 

“Oh? Which one is this?” he turned from the stove and looked from her to the boxes. “Is this that Christmas one where you exchange gifts?”

“No that one is coming up. This is Halloween.” 

He scrunched up his face he had not heard of this one—or maybe he had? He wasn’t sure. His expression made her laugh as she started to clear the table. 

“Don’t worry I will try to explain as I go—“

“I have learned that with human holidays it’s just better to accept what is told and not ask too many questions.”

“Well in this case I want you to ask questions. I will be back I need to get out of these stuffy work clothes and into something comfortable for dinner.”

Brutis gave a nod and went back to his work on dinner, wondering what all these things were. He kept wracking his brain thinking on some of the human holidays he knew. When she returned he plated up their dinner and they shared a meal together. The whole time he was playing twenty questions trying to guess what the holiday could be. 

Abby would give him clues and hints while they ate, there was no reason to make this into a game but she had to admit it was pretty fun. 

“So it’s a fall holiday—is this the one where you eat a lot—the feast one that is centered around a bird?” 

“No this one does have a lot of food—well sweets.”

He perked up on the word sweets. “Human confections are amazing but I can’t overdue it.” 

After dinner and cleaning up Abby went into the living room box opener in hand and started to unbox the collection of boxes. 

“What the heck is that?” Brutis looked over her shoulder as she sat on the couch happily going to work. 

“It’s a ghost.” She pulled out the white piece of cloth that had a face painted on it. A scowling maw and cotton body made it look like a child under a sheet. 

“This is what human ghosts look like?” 

“Well for Halloween they do—things can be incredibly scary or childish and fun so all ages can enjoy.” 

“But it’s mainly a child’s holiday?” 

“Well trick-or-treating is for kids—but adults can have parties, they can go to haunted attractions.” 

“A haunted attraction?” he was intrigued as he walked around the couch and took a seat next to her as he watched her bring out an orange spherical object with a jagged face carved into it. 

“This is a jack-o-lantern.” She offered, as he took it from her hands milling it over. 

“The large fruit that is hollowed out and a face is carved into it… Where do humans come up with these sorts of ideas?”

“What can I say humans have weird traditions? But on the note of haunted attractions—humans like to be started and scared for fun.”

“So these places are like up all the time on Earth or just on this holiday?”

“All October long.” 

“Thrill seeking is perfectly normal—I take it these attractions are safe?”

“Yes but they give the illusion that they are not.”

“I would like to go to one sometime—are there any here?” 

“You know I don’t know. I haven’t seen any advertisements for a haunted attraction or house.” 

“Well let’s start decorating—you can explain some of these things as we go along.” 

It was finally here the all hollows eve, Halloween! Abagail had to admit she was excited, she had prepared some food and Tami was due to be over anytime. The apartment was decorated in all manner of Halloween decorations the living room was floor to ceiling black, orange, green and purple decorations. Paper cutout witches and ghosts—a few jack-o-lanterns fake ones sat plugged in casting the dimly lit room in an orange warm glow. That morning she had showed Brutis how to carve a real one, the pumpkins had cost a lot of money being a rare item on the Citadel but it was worth it. They carved it together. Brutis had been entirely grossed out by the whole thing. 

He wasn’t fond of the pumpkins guts, the smell, but he did enjoy a few seeds he had tested right out of the over a few minutes ago. The jack-o-lantern looked pretty rough the lopsided scowl and lazy eyes made it quite fearsome and comical at the same time. Abagail and Brutis has taken a few photos by their creation. 

“So what movies did you pick out?” 

“Well that was hard one to choose—I’m still thinking about it. I was always found of this cheesy old one when I was growing up called Friday the thirteenth. It’s an ancient slasher movie but it still is classic in my book. My grandparents loved to watch it every October.”

“I want to see it—“

“I’ll queue it up after dinner.” 

“The one I picked is not that scary it’s more a thriller than a horror movie in the way you describe it.” 

“Oh how so?”

“It’s about a Turian solider who goes AWOL and starts picking off his squad mates one by one—I don’t want to spoil it but it has a lot of “gore” and you said that was one of the many possible requirements in a scary film.” 

“I am excited for that one. Do you know what Octamia picked?”

“I think she picked the vid she went to see on her first date with Veter.” He paused a moment to try to remember what she had told him. “I think it’s about a mated couple that goes on a cruise and ends up in peril from a parasitic organism that turns the passengers and crew into reanimated corpses that eat the living.” 

“Oh a zombie movie!” she practically jumped up and down. “I want to see how similar they are and what is done different. This is going to be amazing!” 

Octamia showed up soon after and they piled their plates high with amazing food and holed up in front of the large vid screen and started their movie night. Abagail had to admit that Turians knew their horror movies—she had never been so startled by a run of the mill zombie movie before—but the way they spun the story and used dramatic jump scares and cinematics she was flinching and hiding behind Brutis on the couch. Her pick for Halloween seemed like a children’s movie in comparison—maybe age had not been kind to the classic but Brutis and Tami seemed into it. Engrossed in the story and characters—it hadn’t been a total flop. The movie that Brutis picked was actually more action packed and leaned more towards psychological horror—it was a great story that left you routing for the main character even if they were the ones to lose their mind and go on a killing spree… it had a lot of back story and was something that kept her engaged the whole film. 

They talked and picked at the food between movies and exchanged information about Halloween and by the end of the night when Tami left Abagail was exhausted and hopped in the shower. While she was occupied with that Brutis thought he would give her a little bit of a spook. He turned out all the lights instead opting to leave the decorations on and found a place to hide. 

Abagail got out of the shower wrapped in a fluffy towel and got into her pajamas ready to hit the hay. As she exited the bathroom followed by a steamy cloud she frowned looking into the bedroom to see that it was pitch black—

“Brutis really?” she grumped and crossed the floor going for the light switch. She was about to flick it on when she heard something skitter across the floor and she yelped jumping back. “Brutis come on—it’s late—but I do appreciate your Halloween spirit.” 

No answer came. That was odd maybe he had stepped out, gotten a call from work? No he would have let her know before taking off. “Well looks like I am going to leave you out in the living room all night I’m going to bed!” she tried to coax him out but again she was greeted with an eerie silence. That nagging sensation in the back of her mind spoke up as she felt suddenly uneasy in her own apartment. 

Shit—Brutis was too good at this—“Come on Brutis you got me. You are the king at giving me a fright.” 

She wandered out into the living room to see only the jack-o-lanterns and a few ghosts still lit in the space, they casted a spooky lighting that might seem benign in the day but now looked absolutely ominous. The hair on the back of her neck and arms stood on end. “Come on Brutis this isn’t funny now.” She wandered deeper into the gloom her eyes squinted probing every shadow and recess in the room for his lumbering form. 

There was a flash of movement to her right as she yelped stumbling away a large figure darted past and into the bedroom slamming the door behind themselves. “Damn it!” she gripped her shirt her heart racing Jesus the guy could be stealthy when he wanted to be. Gathering up her courage she spun on her heels and rushed towards the bedroom… 

Flinging the door open she was expecting to see some light from the bathroom but again it was pitch black, she heard a shuffle and went for the light when she saw Brutis standing to the side of the door there in the darkness his eyes practically luminescent it was startling and she let out a scream as he rushed to her side her wrapping his arms around her. 

He threw himself into bed in hysterics at her shriek and hugged her to him. “I thought you liked this spooky sort of thing!” 

“You big ox that was mean!”

“Aww come on its Halloween, you said it was common for people to play tricks on people.” 

“It’s too late for tricks its past one in the morning.” She frowned in the darkness her heart still hammering in her chest from her little scare… “How about a treat?” she planted a kiss on his mandible as he rumbled a purr she felt it though his chest as she smiled.

“I think I like that idea.”


	4. Sick Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brutis gets sick and Abagail is there to help nurse him back to health.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short little warm-up writing I did this afternoon. I hope you enjoy :) (I apologize for any mistakes I made sure to proofread and run it though Words proofread to catch things I might have missed.) 
> 
> Also thank you for all the Kudos and hits this got while I was taking a break, that's amazing I appreciate the support. If you would like to comment or leave a chapter suggestion in the comments feel free to do so. Remember I just don't do NSFW things.

It had happened finally the Giant Turian that Abby had fallen in love with and married was brought down by a virus—the nothing phased him strong as a Krogan was brought down to his knees—reduced to a whimpering puppy in a matter of twenty four hours. He had come home a bit grumpy complaining about a headache and sensitivity to noises—Abagail had chalked it up to having a bad day. She made sure she grabbed his favorite take out and watched some crappy cop dramas before sending him to bed early.   
It was late into the evening, she had snuggled in next to her hotbox husband and quickly had been drug under by sleep when she was rudely awakened by the sudden whoosh of cold air as the blankets were tossed back. The big guy hauled ass to the bathroom slamming the door closed and as she sat up about to demand what the hell was going on she heard the most horrendous sound that send her own stomach doing somersaults. She slipped out of bed to hear him wretch again. Abagail had to take a moment walking through the darkened room to the bathroom door. 

“Babe?”

“I’m—Fine.” 

“Are you sure?” she didn’t think he sounded fine, if anything it sounded like he gargled acid. His voice was so rough and deeper like he had a cold. 

“Just a stomach flu—some people had it in the office—go back to bed I will be out in a while.” 

She did but she didn’t go back to sleep, she turned on her bedside lamp and waited for him to empty his stomach. This was the first time she had ever seen Brutis sick—what did Turians need when they had a stomach bug? Was it like humans lots of water and rest—soup when you were feeling up to it? What was a normal Turian body temperature, and what sort of medicine did they need? She was feeling her apprehension develop just sitting there thinking about what needed or might need to be done.

She was never one to do well with sick people, she was always too clingy or too “helpful” she tended to get under foot and when she was sick herself she holed up in her room or away from others and banned them from coming into see her, afraid they would get sick too…Brutis said others were sick in the office she wondered if this was something contagious between species or not. She head the toilet flush for the umpteenth time and then the sink rushing water and the thump of him rummaging in the cabinet.  
He came out some time later all sleep lost from her from the worry. He looked ragged pale in the skin his eyes looked a bit dull in the dim light. But the look on his face was tired and upset she was still awake. “Babe I said go back to bed—this is nothing.”

“I wasn’t sure if you would like something—do you need me to run out and get some medicine, do I need to call a doctor?”

“It’s a stomach flu. I just need to rest. I about ready to call work and let them know I’m not coming in tomorrow. If they can stand a day without me. I took some medicine I had left over for the symptoms…” he smiled switching off the light in the bathroom walking towards bed wanting nothing more than to shut off the light. 

“Oh ok.” 

Abby?” he sensed something was wrong just by the tone of her voice, he prided himself for picking up the nuances she had no idea she was giving off when she spoke. It was a lot harder than the open book rumbles and hums of a fellow Turian.

“I was sitting here panicking like an idiot—and its nothing more than a stomach bug.” She rubbed the back of her neck feeling like a loon, she had blown this way out of proportion in the span of ten—maybe fifteen minutes with just her thoughts alone.

“Hey come on—Abby no need to fret. I do know how to take care of myself… but I would like a glass of water while I make this call real quick. In the morning we can watch some crappy cop dramas and veg out on the couch.” 

“Sounds like a date.” She got up to fetch the water. 

He coughed into his hand while he dialed up the office and left a message to his chief. He was sure he would have to have a call with him once he was back in his shift. He frowned a bit feeling a bit of a scratch in the back of his throat as Abagail came back with his drink. He downed it in a few gulps and shut off his light once she had slipped back under the covers. 

“You don’t have work do you?” 

“Nothing major—I would rather stay home and help you recover.” Abagail smiled. “So I do have a question—who in the office was sick?” 

“Terry, Mike, Ashfer—“ 

“So you are going to pass this one to me huh?” Terry and Mike sounded human to her—so this was cross species. Ashfer she knew was the Salarian woman that worked in the records room, sweet and always kind when Abagail stopped by. 

“I can sleep on the couch—“ he offered it just now dawned on him that he was most likely going to spread this around like the guys in the office.

“No, I have already been exposed so it’s too late for me.” She sighed snuggling down deeper into the covers… she might run to the pharmacy in the morning preemptively in case she caught this too.

He still felt hot but laid down and stuck his leg out from under the covers and tried to get some sleep. The headache hadn’t gone away yet and the wrenching had not helped matters… his skull was pounding and he hoped the medicine was going to kick in soon.

The Next Morning…

He felt like he had been run over by a freighter… muscle aches in addition to the headaches and nausea. As he sat up he felt the cold chills run up and down his spine the cough got him next. He turned to see if Abby was still in bed but she was nowhere to be seen. 

“Abagail?” he winced hearing his own voice—he was having sinus issues to boot—his voice was so deep and congested sounding he could swear he sounded like a reaper. 

She popped her head in a moment later she had gotten up earlier and went into the living room. 

“That garbage didn’t touch this—“ he motioned to his whole self as she frowned. 

“I assumed since it’s around lunchtime and you are still in bed. Your boss called and I told him you were indeed sick and not playing hooky.” 

“Spirits I slept in late.” he tried to get up but he felt worse for moving.

“I think you need to stay in bed. I can make a call to your doctor and get a prescription put in for you—or I can run down to the pharmacy real quick…”

“Pharmacy—“ he coughed. 

“Hold on let me get you something.” She walked out of the room to fetch him something to drink—he would need his fluids. “Come out to the couch and we can get you set up while I am gone.” 

He did as he was told, not wanting her to get sick but not wanting to lay in bed all day. He plopped down on the plush cushions listening to the couch protest his weight and smiled weakly at his beautiful wife as she rounded the kitchen with what looked like a hot steaming mug of coffee. Normally she stayed ten feet away from it given how allergic to it she was. She also had some bottled water. 

Setting his special shaped mug for his mouth plates down on the coffee table she set the water and then went to the bedroom to grab some blankets. Coming back she tucked him in. “I honestly wasn’t sure about the coffee—but I thought something warm might help your throat.”

“Thank you bade it will.” He went over his symptoms with her so she would know what to ask for at the pharmacy. As soon she was sure Brutis was nestled into the couch remote close by to skim for shows she left the apartment heading for mass transport, the pharmacy wasn’t horrible far away but given the hour the buses should be running on time. 

Brutis snuggled in feeling like a pampered child—he thought back to the times he had been sick at home—how his mother would bark and send him away up to bed and it would be a nanny or his brother that would come in and check up on him. He missed out on a lot of Childhood things—it’s why he appreciated everything Abagail ever did for him. When she fussed and tucked him in, made a lunch for him to take to work, a hug or touch, kissed him before he went to work and said she loved him it was a highlight of his day, something wonderful and special to cherish. He did he could never repay her enough. Turning on the TV he skimmed some news feeds still tuned in to work and wanting to know what was going on the Citadel and ultimately settled on a crappy sitcom that was showing reruns. 

He drifted off. He woke about a half hour later when the front door opened and Abagail walked in a bag under her arm. She smiled at him not sure if she wanted to announce she was home in fear of waking him from his needed rest. What she saw was a goofy smiling behemoth on the couch absolutely happy to see her. It melted her heart as she set the bag down and glanced at his half drank coffee. 

“Alright so the pharmacist said there is a bug going around the citadel and gave me a few things to try.”

“Sure thing Doc.”

She giggled at that. “Oh come on.” 

“After my meds doc can we cuddle on the couch and watch crappy cop shows?”

“Of course!”


End file.
